I have given this reserve five stars for a few reasons, firstly because it is wonderful to find…read morethese pockets of nature so beautifully "put together" for urban and public use. This reserve is on the corner of busy New North Road and Burch Street in Mount Albert. It has gorgeous big trees, some are starting to turn orange when I visited today, a sign Autumn is fats approaching. They provide shade, beauty and ambience to the place. There are a few park benches but not many, use the grass is you miss out! It is not a very big reserve and probably not the type you would bring a large group of people; and even though it is not an overly private spot, you can still immerse yourselves towards the centre and forget about the outside world for a few moments. There is also a statue by a local artist that may hold some interest.

To call this a reserve - or even really a park - is to give this patch of ground more grandness…read morethan it really deserves. A better way to describe this is a piece of waste land, too small to put a house on, that Auckland has decided to justify the existence of by putting some toilets on it and a sign that says 'Sandringham Reserve'. Luckily the council took one extra step in glorifying this awkwardly-shaped street corner, and this is its saving grace. They put a playground on it and, although not large, it is a decent one. It's that usual wood-with-primary-coloured-pipes-and-plastic set-up that anyone who's been to a park in New Zealand in the last twenty years will be familiar with, and it's the only one in or around the Sandringham village, unless you're willing to take your small children on a hike up to the primary school by Pizza Haven, and nobody will be keen on that, not children or parents. Good thing there's Sandringham Reserve then, right?

Cute colourful and clever little park. Pretty new by the looks. Great size for keeping an eye on…read moreboth kids at once. Fully fenced, toilets and picnic space nearby and great coffee over road at Atomic. Amazing what you can create with stumps, planks, concrete and a few old tyres. Would've loved a swing or two but the kids (3.5 & 1yo) really enjoyed it all the same

Hillsborough Bay is a place of beauty. Just off the top of Hillsborough Road there is also a track…read moreyou can take which is like walking through the jungle to get there. At the bottom lies a green and a picnic table. Carry on across the road down steps to the bay and you will be in awe of the beautiful surroundings. You can see a couple of mountains before you. The setting is tranquil and there are wooden benches to sit on. Take a book and sit under the shade of a tree. There is a children's park at the end, however, it is rarely used. There is also a beach area, however its quite stoney. If you want to meditate or go somewhere peaceful this is your place.

Having decided to try visiting this bird sanctuary on a lark (thanks folks, I'll be here all…read morenight), I was impressed enough with it. One visits by boat either from downtown Auckland (which I imagine is a scenic ride) or from a more remote peninsula near the island where the boat stops just before reaching it (which is nice if you want somewhere free to park for the day). The boat ride is most of the cost; for a small additional fee you get a guided tour lead by one of a remarkably large number of local volunteers. Why not? The guide leads you through the middle of the island with some narration, before finishing at a lighthouse and leaving you the second half of the day to roam alone. There weren't that many visible birds during New Zealand "winter"; you'd here more than you see. The island was once a farm before being purposefully replanted as a forest. Things grow fast here; it looks quite wild. Up to the point of reaching the light house, I'd probably have written a four star review. However, they buried the lead. Exploring alone yielded vast panoramic views of the entire region. The island is centrally located between the city and a variety of other islands. New Zealand's indigenous people are of Polynesian descent, and while you walk around here you might confuse the volcanic landscapes, abundant greenery, and clear turquoise water for a more archetypically Polynesian vacation spot. There are a few swimmable spots. It is a big enough island that there were significant areas of track that I did not see even after hustling around the coastline. Always leave 'em wanting more, the saying goes. If I had occasion to, I wouldn't mine going again, which having paid $60 to see an island that had no trees at the time I was born is something. Tips: *There were a ton of local schoolkids, but the guides kindly separated out kids and adults for the tour, and once you're off the boat, it really isn't an issue. *Adults get free tea and coffee at the end of the tour, but no food. There is literally nothing even to buy. Bring decent food. *A truck loads any bags you might want to leave at the wharf, and carries them to the lighthouse and back, meaning you do not need to carry what you bring while walking the island. *They are very concerned about biosecurity, so wear clean shoes and bring only closed, zippable bags. *Apparently the name means that it's a really windy island. Which it really is. Be ready for wild temperature differences based on wind and shade.

Seriously one of Auckland's greatest outdoor treasures. This pest-free island is a magical place…read morethat harkens back to the days before massive deforestation for farming, hunting, and introduction of pests shrank the population of New Zealand's birds. The bird songs you'll hear here are incredible! Amazing work has been done to reforest native plants and trees, and reintroduce rare birds on this island. You can see hihi (stitchbirds), saddlebacks, kakariki (red crowned parakeets), bellbirds, north island robin, heaps and heaps of tui, wood pigeon, little blue penguins, kokako (if you're lucky) and of course, my favorite - the takahē (a population of less than 300 exist in the world, and this is one of the few places you can see them in the wild - plus BABIES!) So worth paying the $70 to take the ferry out there. Pack your lunch and your sunscreen, bring your swimsuit and good hiking shoes, and get ready for an amazing day. The extra $5 for the guided tour is worth doing at least once. The guides are very knowledgable and will point out the birds and interesting plants and give you a history of the island. However, when we went the second time without the group, we saw heaps more birds, I think as we were separate from many of the larger (noisier) groups. I'm dying to stay overnight at the DOC hut and try to spot a kiwi! The huts are booked well in advance so you're gonna have to troll the website for an opening. Also be sure to book your trip well in advance as the ferry can book up during peak season, and you don't want to miss out!!

I love this little park located in the heart of Remuera. It has to be one of the more fun…read moreplaygrounds in the area. With a swing set, a big climbing frame, slides, a flying fox and a skate board bowl, there is something here to entertain all the kids while you could be walking the dog (on leash only). Upland Road playground also has a lot of greenery for you to sit down on and set up a picnic for lunch or those summer evenings. Located incredibly close to Benson Road dairy, it's only a short hop and skip away to get an ice block, ending a perfect fun filled afternoon at the playground. I have grown up coming to this playground and have taken my siblings here a number of times. It's always a favourite; you just can't go past the awesome flying fox!

This is a super cool park for kids! There's a playground with actually nice and maintained play…read morethings and swings, slides, all that sort of thing - appeals to young babies up to older children. Plenty of seating for parents while the kids play. There is also a big flying fox, and a skate park for the bigger kids. To one side is a cliff that kids can climb up and have a little picnic at the top. We have had several birthday parties here. And heaps of grassy playing area! HEAPS! But note - if you are allergic to grass, this is the grass that will make you come out in a rash. Parking is on the road.

Rocket Park is awesome, even if you're not allowed to climb up the rocket. It has a huge range of…read moreplay equipment including an expensive Variety Liberty Swing which allows disabled children or those in wheelchairs to enjoy a thrill most kids take for granted. Very cool idea. I also really like the fairytale castle-themed play area which gets kids role playing and using their imaginations. I've spent countless hours here after pre-school Gym and Dancing classes at the neighbouring YMCA, and the beautiful setting amongst mature trees makes it a great place for a picnic. Be organised and bring your own or grab something from one of the surrounding cafes or delis (or a kebab!). One of Auckland's best playgrounds.

Rocket Park is an icon of Auckland. Though it is just a playground - and not a particularly special…read moreplayground anymore thanks to health and safety regulations - there is a giant rocket smack bang in the middle of the climbing equipment that is the reason for its name. As a child I spent countless afternoons climbing on and around this rocket, and even remember the days when you were allowed IN IT. Those were good times. Though this is no longer possible, every afternoon the park is still packed with young families and it's a really nice place to have a wee picnic and a run around. Tip: Now there is even some cardio gym equipment permanently set up in the park, like treadmills and cross-trainers, that available for anyone to use. So parents, you too can get some exercise while your kids tire themselves out on the playground!

I'm a fan of green spaces in cities, and this is a beautiful one. For a free activity exploring…read moreoutside, this is a must visit. There are walking paths directly off of the Auckland Zoo parking lot and entrance, so it's easy to visit the park at the same time. There are both open and forested spaces here, with meandering paths around the central lake. The main draw for me here was the birds, with endangered moorhens, plus swans, geese, and songbirds. Most are docile enough to get great up-close photos. I was there on a mostly cloudy day, but it was still a worthwhile place to explore. There are also many trees and flowers here, I'm sure in the springtime it's more colorful. There are picnic tables and benches everywhere, so it'd be a great place to relax away from the bustle of the city. Getting here by public transportation is easy with a train stop nearby. If you're visiting Auckland and looking for something free and natural to do, you could easily spend a few hours here.

The coolest of all parks in Auckland, in my opinion!…read more A lot of water, black swans, geese, and all other animals all around. Nice place to spend with kids.

This is the place where I spent hours and hours pretending to study. My love for sculptures and all…read morethings artsy led me to this place after I realised studying indoors when the weather was amazing, was a complete waste of my time. I grabbed my study items, a novel that had nothing to do with my exams and a beverage of some sort. I sat on the bench looking at the fallen sculptures and thought about the mysteries of life, hours went by as I say there contemplating what was there before and what will be there in the future, All I can say is if you are looking for a place to just take a chill pill, enjoy some quiet time, "study" and be one with the grass then Western Park is for you. The location is perfect that if you get hungry you can just waddle on to Ponsonby road or K road for a bite.

Want local flavour? Try Western Park. At the K Road end of Ponsonby Road it's close enough to the…read morecity to attract those "interesting" types that seem to just love hanging out in parks (broad daylight sleeping seems to be the thing here). This place is a bit of a secret in that from its main entrance on Ponsonby Road it looks very small. Even if you can't be arsed walking down the hill to explore, seeing John Radford's famous building sculptures is reason enough. They have become a much-loved Ponsonby icon and still fascinate kids and adults alike after all these years. If you do decide to carry on down the hill though, you'll find a landscaped basin with a pretty cool playground leading to tennis courts and sports fields. Who knew? The playground is always fairly quiet, thanks I think to the steep climb down (and inevitably back up). The last time I was here there was a film crew shooting so like I said, you just never know what surprises await. It's also a great spot for lunch if you work nearby and there's even a fitness trail if the hill just isn't enough.

Blockhouse Bay Beach is, strictly speaking, artificial. The white sand on the beach is trucked in…read moreto create the beach area for people to enjoy, but once you're out into the water, it's actually a muddy bottom, which you can see at low tide. Don't let this put you off though, as the water tends to be nice and calm, sheltered from the harbour as it is by the headland. We went down to check it out as a place to paddleboard from, and we had a great time paddling out past the headland and around the basin. The park facilities are awesome, and despite being right in the middle of the suburbs, it never really tends to be that busy, which is choice, as I hate beaches and parks that get spoilt by an overabundance of people. All in all, a great little spot to head out for a paddle, or chill out with fish and chips on the grass and enjoy the day.

This side of the harbour seems to be strangely under used, I suspect because everyone heads out to…read morethe more scenic Titirangi, but it's actually a really good place to come and hang out on a good day. Blockhouse Bay is a little horseshoe shape, so it's a bit more sheltered than some of the other beaches around the area which are more exposed, so even on a windy day it's quite pleasant. Swimming isn't that wonderful here as the tide never comes in that far, so it's always a bit of a wade out to somewhere where it's more than ankle deep, but it's a good place for a wander, or a swing on the swings, or just to sit and read a book and eat an iceblock.